People who call Iowa home get it: It’s the land, the people, the wide-open spaces and, yes, even the changing seasons that make Iowa great. For all these reasons and more, Iowa is the best place to live in the nation. But hey, don’t take my word for it; check out our number-one ranking from the national U.S. News Best States report.

The second annual Best States Study ranks Iowa number one based on a variety of measures from health care and education to opportunity and quality of life. Yes, quality of life, where the study looked at the state’s natural environment, drinking water, air quality and “the lack of toxic chemical pollution per square mile.”  

That may come as a...